Day Two Of Miami VA Colonoscopy Case
MIAMI (CBS4) – It's day two in the case of a $30 million medical malpractice lawsuit filed against the Miami VA Healthcare Center in Miami federal court.
Coral Gables Air Force veteran Robert Metzler filed the suit against the Miami VA after he claimed to have contracted Hepatitis C as a result of improper sanitation practices.
But Metzler's attorney said that the case is bigger than just this claim.
"We're hoping that at the end of this case, about five days from today (Monday), that we will have the type of verdict necessary to make sure this type of problem never happens again and that all veterans get proper healthcare at the Veteran's Administration hospital," said Metzler's attorney Ervin Gonzalez.
Metzler claims a colonoscopy he underwent at the Miami VA hospital in 2007 infected him with Hepatitis C because the equipment was not properly sanitized between patients.
Metzler was one of thousands of veterans to receive letters from the VA in 2009 urging them to get blood tests after being treated at hospitals in five states. But the VA is contending in court that it did not cause Metzler's infection and should not pay damages.
Many similar cases have settled out of court.
